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The problems that dogged the Indian batsmen during the Test series continued to haunt them in the first one-day international as well, with the side managing only 108 in a format that was popularly thought to favour them over the New Zealanders. Admittedly the pitch was not an ideal one-day track. There was prodigious sideways movement for the bowlers, and it was quite a change from the run-heavy belters that are so common on the subcontinent. But that was not an excuse for the collapse of the batting; batsmen of the highest calibre will adjust their game as required in hostile conditions, and India could not do that at Auckland. Adopting a mental approach to the game would undoubtedly have helped. On such a track, the Indian think-tank should have reasoned, even a total of 150 could have been defended with some good bowling. Accordingly, three or four batsmen should have been given explicit instructions to put their heads down and grind out the runs required. Shiv Sunder Das - originally not even on the fringes of one-day selection - and Rahul Dravid did that to some extent, but few others could manage it. That 150 would have been a fighting total is beyond doubt, especially considering that India had New Zealand reeling, at one stage, at 86 for seven. India's bowlers responded beautifully in spite of the meagre total behind them, with Javagal Srinath in particular bowling with fire after making a comeback into the side. He was sorely missed in the Test series, and his performance yesterday showed that he should be very much in India's World Cup plans. Zaheer Khan looked a bit off-colour, but I thought Ashish Nehra did well after a relatively disappointing two Tests. His figures of two for 16 off 10 overs say it all. He kept his line and length in check, bowled like a miser, and kept the pressure on the Kiwis throughout his spell. When Srinath and Nehra were operating from opposite ends, it really looked as if India stood a chance, so tight and disciplined was their bowling. A seven-match series, as the last one against the West Indies showed, can often go down to the very last game, so the Indians have many chances to bounce back. But they must do so in emphatic enough fashion to take away confidence from this series ahead of the World Cup. It would help, of course, if the pitches were more batsman-friendly; both captains have criticised the tracks thus far in the tour, and if that has any effect, then India's batsmen can actually get some runs - and confidence - under their belt instead of merely trying to survive at the wicket. © CricInfo |
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